Serving the public interest

Members of the Public Interest Committee advise Council regarding its duty to serve and protect the public interest in carrying out the College’s objects.

The government amended the Ontario College of Teachers Act in 2006 to create the Public Interest Committee as a new College committee. The Act determines the committee's composition, membership and designation of a chair by ministerial appointment.

In 2009, Raheel Raza was appointed by the Minister of Education for a three-year term. She joins Gail Lilley and Anne Secord who were first appointed in 2007, and have been reappointed until 2011.

The Act requires the committee to develop a work plan that identifies priorities, projects and activities through the term of the 5th Council. This work plan included four priorities:

• organizational accountability measures
• stays pending an appeal
• reinstatement and variation hearings
• communicating with the public on behalf of the profession.

The committee can ask for information from Council to help develop, modify and implement the work plan or to provide advice to Council. It meets at least four times a year and as requested by the Chair, by Council or by the Executive Committee.

The committee is expected to report annually to Council prior to the College’s annual meeting of members.